Thanks to Ken Silva at Apprising Ministries for this:
JOHN: Okay. Well…and so…I think that’s a huge issue, but I want to stick on this one for a moment, okay? I don’t know if you are a New Perspectives guy on Paul or not, but…just I’m reading from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 6, which was our…which was our theme…uh… verse…our theme group of verses today. It says this…it says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Umm…that seems pretty…that seems pretty cut and dry there. Umm…and it’s pretty broad based, it’s not just…you know…the word homosexuality screamed out at us because as you have written in your blog the “??? factor” you know, that we were all kind of brought up with.
TONY: Yes. Right.
JOHN: But…but it seems pretty clear to me that this is a broad stroke…it says the unrighteous – those who are unrighteous and Paul lists out a group of unrighteous behaviors that were…that were there at his time and are much more broadly even – I believe – today. Sexual immorality, umm…fornication – sex outside of marriage – umm…Jesus went even so far to say that if you look with lust you commit adultery with that woman already in your heart…
TONY: Oh, I get it.
JOHN: …Idolatry…
TONY: Yeah, John, look…is that…I agree. And…and…according to…if we take that verse, you know, in the way that you’re saying we should take it then I…I…I will not inherit the kingdom of God and I bet you won’t inherit the kingdom because we are all idolaters, and we are all swindlers, and we have all engaged in sexual immorality.
RUSS: Can I jump in here for a second? Oh, I’m sorry.
JOHN: Yeah, go ahead Rusty.
TONY: Not if you want me to answer the question, but I mean it…
JOHN: Go ahead…go ahead…go ahead Tony finish your answer.
TONY: We all…we absolutely as Paul also writes we all do fall short of God’s glory and if we are judged on the merits of our morality and the way that we’ve behaved according to those prescriptions – and other places throughout Paul and quite honestly, things that Jesus himself said – everyone of us is going to fall short of inheriting the kingdom of God. Thank God that we will not be judged on that count, right? Thank God that Jesus stands in our stead when it comes to that…that moment at the end of time when it’s determined whether or not we inherit the kingdom of God or not…it’s that Jesus that stands in our stead at that moment.
So, I think…it’s just…I take the verses far more seriously than if you had a more liberal umm…guest on your show. And, I do not I…I think those seven verses in scripture are extraordinarily important…and I don’t …and as important as any verse in scripture, but I don’t…but like you and I talked about John when we sat in my office at Solomon’s Porch for those videos, I’m sure you’re willing to say that verse is…should be interpreted literally and that we should make that clear in our churches that you won’t inherit the kingdom of God…you’re standing in sin if you behave in any of these ways; if you’re an idolater, swindler, or…or have homosexual sex, or if you’re an adulterer, etc. But, there’s all sorts of other verses in the bible that people…that those of you who take certain verses literally don’t take literally. So you don’t have head coverings in your church and you don’t take the gold jewelry off before they come in and you don’t make them keep silent in public assembly…
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